Tax is a highly technical area driven by ever changing and increasingly complex legislation. Our Tax Consulting Group (TCG) is one of the premier tax service providers to small, medium and large businesses in Australia. Our Tax Consulting division can assist you with:

• Corporate Tax Advice & Compliance Services;
• Specialist Tax Advice & Services;
• SME Specific Advice;
• International Tax Advice & Services;
• Specialist GST Advice
• GST Compliance & Review Services;
• Other Indirect Taxes;
• Integrated Advice with Superannuation, High Wealth, Estate & Succession Planning

Liaising with Australian Tax Office (ATO) on audit activities

The ATO has significantly increased its audit activities. We can act as agent for your client in negotiating practical settlements with the ATO on disputes and facilitate discussions with the ATO for a timely resolution of such disputes. Such services can vary from discussions and meetings with the ATO to preparation and submission of Position Papers. We can liaise with legal advisors in relation to any judicial proceedings. We can also attend to preparation and lodgement of objections against assessments and amended assessments.

Capital Gains Tax

A significant proportion of our advice covers Capital Gains Tax (CGT) matters. Advice can cover a variety of areas including structuring for a proposed acquisition, determining the level of CGT arising from a disposal, accessing the CGT Small Business Concessions, and accessing various other capital gains tax concessions.

Any business, large or small, can benefit from a critical review of structure, circumstances and best approach before the sale or purchase is undertaken.

Division 7A management regarding private company loans, payments, debt forgiveness, unpaid trust distributions to companies (Section 109XA)

We can assist with advising on appropriate strategies to ensure Division 7A does not adversely apply to your clients. This includes assistance with preparation of loan agreements, calculating minimum year repayments, devising tax affective strategies to reduce Division 7A loans, effective debt rationalisations and the application of the old Section 109UB and new section 109XA in relation to trusts with unpaid distributions to companies.

Prudential income tax, GST and employment taxes (payroll tax, PAYG) reviews

Given increased audit activity, an increasingly popular service we can provide is a "health check" covering a variety of scopes. Our reviews can be general or specific, depending on your clients' requirements. Given the broad range of expertise within our practice, we can cover a variety of areas.

Due diligence for acquisitions and disposals (mergers & acquisitions)

Preparation for tax effective disposals and acquisitions are key value added services. We understand the commercial drivers behind an acquisition or disposal and are therefore able to provide practical solutions noting the impact of a transaction on the other party. We also liaise with lawyers in relation to the review of the transaction documentation.

Tax consolidations - impact and implementation

We are able to advise your clients on whether, how and when they should enter the tax consolidations regime for the wholly owned corporate groups. We can provide a report on the broad issues or provide comprehensive advice on all relevant aspects including the impact of future activities and plans.

Internal restructuring - planning and implementation

Your clients may be seeking to rationalise their structure or facilitate the introduction of new equity participants or key employees. There may be other commercial drivers behind altering an existing business structure. We can provide practical advice on restructuring with due regard to minimising taxation liabilities while providing for a flexible structure for the future. The increase in capital gains tax and concessions can provide many opportunities for your clients in this regard.

Estate planning - taxation implications

An increasingly popular service we are providing is a review of our clients' estate planning needs. This includes a review of existing structures, review of Wills, life cover, superannuation arrangements, and asset protection objectives. The key challenge for our advice is to deal with the usual tension between desired estate planning outcome and desired taxation outcomes.

Succession planning - taxation implications

Family businesses and larger businesses with potential management buy-outs utilise our services to provide commercial and viable tax effective advice on succession plans for such businesses. This provides a clear vision for all parties involved and enables a smooth transition to occur from one generation to another, taking into account funding arrangements and taxation outcome and agreed changes of control.

Effective investment structures, eg company, family trust, self-managed superannuation

Each investment structure will have different taxation and access characteristics. Because of the broad nature of the firm's client base and our advisors' exposure to all types of investment structures, they keep these factors in mind when designing strategies for you or your clients.

Applications for ATO private rulings

Often there is a need to obtain certainty on the taxation outcome of a transaction. We can assist by seeking an ATO private ruling, which involves us preparing, lodging and the relevant application including relevant research and liaising with the ATO to seek the desired ruling outcome.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) advice

Our GST advisors can advise on single transactions, prudential reviews/health checks, liaising with the ATO on audit activity and assisting in relation to mergers and acquisitions activities. We have considerable experience in the property and construction industry and particular experience with Retirement Villages and Aged Care. Our team has the experience and capability to deal not only with compliance review and support, but also complex Creditable Purpose issues and the entire range of Adjustment Events.